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According to the International Monetary Fund, India is likely to become
the 4th largest economy in the world by which year?
A) 2025-26
B) 2026-27
C) 2027-28
D) 2029-30
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Answer : A .
✓ IMF predicts India to become the 4th largest economy in FY 2025.
✓ According to the recently published International Monetary Fund (IMF) report,
India is expected to overtake Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy in
the financial year 2025.
✓ Currently, India is the world’s 5th largest economy in terms of its gross domestic
product (GDP) at market price in US dollar terms.
India follows April-March as the financial year.
✓ Currently, the United States is the world's largest economy, followed by China,
Germany, Japan and India.
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The top 10 economies in the FY2025 .
No.1 USA
✓ According to the IMF, the United States of America is expected to be the world’s largest
economy, with an estimated nominal gross domestic product (GDP) of $29,840 billion.
The IMF expects the US real GDP to grow by 2.8 % in 2024 and 2.2% in 2025.
No.2 China
✓ The IMF expects China to remain the world's number 2 economy in 2025, with an
estimated nominal GDP of $19,790 billion. The IMF expects the Chinese GDP to grow by
4.8 % in 2024 and 4.5 % in 2025.
No.3 Germany
✓ The IMF expects the German economy to remain the third-largest economy in the world
in 2025. Its nominal GDP is expected to be $4,591 billion in 2025. The IMF expects the
German GDP to grow by 0 % in 2024 and 0.8 % in 2025.
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✓ No.4 India
✓ The IMF predicts India will overtake Japan as the world’s fourth-largest economy in 2025.
India's expected nominal GDP in 2025 is estimated at $4,340 billion. The IMF expects the Indian
GDP to grow by 7 % in 2024 and 6.5 % in 2025.
✓ No.5 Japan
The IMF expects Japan to drop to fifth place in the world. Its GDP is expected to be $4,310 billion
in 2025. The IMF has predicted a growth rate of 0.3 % in 2024 and 1.1 % in 2025 for the Japanese
economy.
✓ No.6 United Kingdom
✓ The United Kingdom, with an expected nominal GDP of $3,685 billion in 2025, will rank sixth
among the world’s largest economies. The IMF expects the United Kingdom's economy to grow by
1.1% in 2024 and 1.5 % in 2025.
✓ No.7 France
✓ No.8 Brazil
✓ No. 9 Italy
✓ No.10 Canada
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IMF IN NEWS 2024
➢ According to the recently published International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, India is expected
to overtake Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy in the financial year 2025.
➢ Currently, India is the world’s 5th largest economy in terms of its gross domestic product (GDP)
at market price in US dollar terms. India follows April-March as the financial year.
➢ International Monetary Fund has retained its forecast for the Indian economic growth rate of 7 %
for 2024-25 and 6.5 % for the 2025-26 financial year.
➢ Kristalina Georgieva has been re-appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) for a new 5-year term.
➢ International Monetary Fund has approved an immediate disbursal of USD 1.1 billion to Pakistan
as part of a bailout package supported by the IMF's Stand-By Arrangement (SBA).
➢ Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released the latest Global Financial Stability
Report
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International Monetary Fund (IMF)
➢ Founded : 1945
➢ Headquarters: Washington, D.C.
➢ Managing Director : Kristalina Georgieva (Bulgaria)
➢ First Deputy MD : Gita Gopinath
➢ Chief Economist : Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas (France)
➢ Executive Director for India at IMF : Krishnamurthy Subramaniam
➢ Member countries : 190 (Andorra)
➢ IMF Released Report
➢ Global Financial Stability Report
➢ World Economic Outlook.
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What is the rank of India in the AI Preparedness Index (AIPI)?
A) 54th
B) 65th
C) 68th
D) 72nd
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Answer : D .
✓ The AI Preparedness Index (AIPI) evaluates nations on digital infrastructure,
human capital, technological innovation, and legal frameworks.
✓ As of 2023, Singapore leads with a score of 0.80, indicating its strong
commitment to AI integration.
✓ In contrast, India ranks 72nd with a score of 0.49, despite having a significant
number of AI startups and user engagement.
✓ This index highlights the disparities in AI readiness between advanced and
emerging economies.
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Henley Passport Index
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How passports are ranked
The passport ranking in the Henley
Passport Index is based on a
comprehensive methodology that
considers several factors. These include the
number of countries a passport holder can
access without a visa, the country's
diplomatic relations, and its international
agreements.
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World’s weakest passports
While some passports grant access to many
countries, others come with restricted travel
options. According to the Henley Passport Index
2024, the least powerful passports offer the least
travel freedom, requiring holders to secure a visa
for travel to most destinations.
Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia and
India’s neighbour Pakistan are the least powerful
indexes in the world, as per the rankings.
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Where was the seventh session of the International Solar Alliance
Assembly held?
A) Gurugram
B) New Delhi
C) Mumbai
D) Hyderabad
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Answer : B .
✓ India has been re-elected as the President of the International Solar Alliance for
another two-year term from 2024 to 2026.
✓ The Office bearers for 2024-26 were elected at the Seventh annual session of the
International Solar Alliance Assembly, held in New Delhi.
✓ The International Solar Alliance Assembly is the apex decision-making body of
the Alliance, which sets the strategic direction of the organisation. It is a
ministerial-level meeting held every year, and all the member countries of the ISA
participate in the Assembly.
✓ This year's seventh meeting of the ISA Assembly was held in New Delhi.
Representatives of 103 member countries and 17 signatory countries participated
in the seventh session.
✓ Twenty-nine countries had sent their ministers to participate in the seventh
session of the Assembly.
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Which country has been elected as the President of the International Solar
Alliance Assembly for the 2024-26 period?
A) France
B) Russia
C) Germany
D) India
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Answer : D .
✓ India re-elected President of International Solar Alliance for 2024- 26
✓ India has been re-elected as the President of the International Solar Alliance for another twoyear term from 2024 to 2026.
✓ The Office bearers for 2024-26 were elected at the Seventh annual session of the International
Solar Alliance Assembly, held in New Delhi from 3-6 November 2024.
At the seventh annual session of the International Solar Alliance, Ashish Khanna of India was
chosen as the third Director General for a four-year term. He will succeed another Indian, Dr Ajay
Mathur.
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Which country has been elected as the Co-President of the
International Solar Alliance for 2024-26?
A) Italy
B) France
C) Ghana
D) Seychelles
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Answer : B .
✓ India was re-elected unopposed as the President of the International Solar
Alliance for a fresh two-year term. France was elected as the Co-President,
defeating Grenada.
✓ The International Solar Alliance has been divided into four geographical
regions: Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe & Others, and Latin America and the
Caribbean.
✓ Two Vice Presidents represent these regional groups, and the newly elected
Vice-Presidents for 2024-26 are as follows;
✓ Vice Presidents of Africa- Ghana and Seychelles,
✓ Vice Presidents of Asia-Pacific- Australia and Sri Lanka,
✓ Vice -Presidents of Europe and Others- Germany and Italy
✓ Latin America and Caribbean- Grenada and Suriname.
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Who was recently elected as the third Director General of ISA?
A) Ajay Mathur
B) Ashish Khanna
C) Sandeep Sharma
D) Manoj Gupta
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Answer : B .
✓ Ashish Khanna of India was elected as the third Director General of the
International Solar Alliance (ISA).
✓ This announcement was made at the 7th ISA Assembly in New Delhi.
✓ ISA aims to mobilize $1 trillion in investment in solar energy by 2030.
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ISA IN NEWS 2024
➢ Ashish Khanna of India was elected as the third Director General of the
International Solar Alliance (ISA).
➢ India has been re-elected as the President of the International Solar Alliance for
another two-year term from 2024 to 2026.
➢ The Seventh annual session of the International Solar Alliance Assembly, held in
New Delhi from 3- 6 November 2024.
➢ Nepal has become the 101st country to join the International Solar Alliance(ISA).
➢ Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually addressed the first International Solar
Festival, which was being held in New Delhi
➢ Paraguay has become the 100th full member of the International Solar Alliance
(ISA)
➢ Spain has become the 99th member of the International Solar Alliance (ISA)
➢ Panama has become the 97th member country of ISA.
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Malta as the 119th country to join the International Solar Alliance.
➢ Chile has become the 95th member of the International Solar Alliance.
➢ International Solar Alliance (ISA) has announced a capital infusion of $35 million for its Global
Solar Facility (GSF), aimed at stimulating solar investments in underserved regions, particularly in
Africa
➢ International Solar Alliance (ISA).
➢ Founded - 2015 ➢ HQ - Gurugram Haryana
➢ Director General - Ashish Khanna
➢ Membership : 121
➢ ISA : Joint Initiative by India and France .
➢ International Solar Alliance (ISA) was launched by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and
Former France Prime Minister Francois Hollande on 30 November 2015 during the 21st session of
the United Nations Climate Change COP-21 in Paris, France to promote solar energy.
➢ India and France have been re-elected as the President and co-President of the International Solar
Alliance.
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Where was the first Asian Buddhist Summit held?
A) Rajgir
B) Bodhgaya
C) New Delhi
D) Pawapuri
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Answer : C .
✓ First Asian Buddhist Summit held in New Delhi.
President Droupadi Murmu was the chief guest.
✓ The first Asian Buddhist Summit aims to unite Sangha leaders, scholars, experts, and
practitioners of various Buddhist traditions across Asia to foster dialogue, promote understanding,
and address contemporary challenges facing the Buddhist community.
✓ Sangha in Buddhism refers to the people who follow the teachings of Lord Buddha.
✓ The first Asian Buddhist Summit is being organised by the Union Ministry of Culture, Government
of India, in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation.
✓ ‘Role of Buddha Dhamma in Strengthening Asia” is the theme of the First Asian Buddhist Summit
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Who was the chief guest of the first Asian Buddhist Summit?
A) Narendra Modi
B) Draupadi Murmu
C) Dalai Lama
D) Jagdeep Dhankhar
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Answer : B .
✓ The first Asian Buddhist Summit will be held in New Delhi on November 5 and 6,
2024. President Droupadi Murmu was the chief guest.
✓ The first Global Buddhist Summit was held in April 2023 in New Delhi and it was
inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Summit was organised by the
Union Ministry of Culture in association with the International Buddhist
Confederation.
✓ The first International Conference on Share Buddhist Heritage was organised by
the Union Ministry of Culture in association with the International Buddhist
Confederation in March 2023. It was held as part of the Indian presidency of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
✓ International Abhidhamma Divas was held on 17 October 2024 in New Delhi.
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PM- Vidyalaxmi scheme
•Government has approved the PM- Vidyalaxmi
scheme to provide financial support to
meritorious students.
•On the decisions taken in the Cabinet meeting,
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini
Vaishnaw said, students will be eligible to get
collateral-free and guarantor-free loans to pursue
higher education.
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•He said the scheme has been introduced so that
financial constraints do not prevent any youth of India
from pursuing quality higher education. As per the
scheme, loan amount up to 7.5 lakhs rupees will be
provided 75 percent credit guarantee by the
government to support banks to expand coverage.
•Three percent interest subvention for loans up to 10
lakh rupees will also be provided during the
moratorium period for students with an annual family
income of upto eight lakh rupees.
•This scheme is expected to benefit seven lakh
students. To avail the benefit of the scheme, the
students can apply on the unified portal PM
Vidyalaxmi for an education loan.
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QS World University Rankings
The Indian Institute of Technology -Delhi has
been ranked as the top Indian educational
institution in the latest QS World University
Rankings: Asia (2025).
IIT-Delhi has been ranked 44th best educational
institution, while China’s Peking
University retained the top spot amongst the list
of educational institutions in Asia as per the QS
World University Rankings: Asia (2025).
The QS World University Rankings: Asia (2025)
ranks 984 educational institutions among 25
South Asian, Central Asian, Eastern Asian and
South-East Asian countries. These educational
institutions are ranked based on the comparison
and preference of the institutions and students.
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Indian Educational Institutions Performance
•Out of the 984 educational institutions included in the ranking,
the highest,162 were from India. Indian Institute of
Technology-Delhi was the highest-ranked Indian institution,
with a rank of 44, up from 46 last year.
•IIT-Delhi was also the highest-ranked educational institution in
the South Asian Region.
•In the South Asian region, among the top 10
institutions, seven are Indian institutions.
•After IIT-D, IIT-Bombay was second highest, with a rank of 48,
and IIT-Madras was third, with a rank of 56.
•IIT Kharagpur was in fourth place with a rank of 60, followed
by the Indian Institute of Science (62), IIT Kanpur (67), and the
University of Delhi (81).
•India has two institutions in the top 50 and seven in the top
100 educational institutions.
•The University of Petroleum and Energy Studies was the
improved Indian institution, with its rank improving from 148
last year to 70 this year.
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Top-ranked Asian Educational Institutions
Following is the list of the top 10 institutions according to the QS World
University Rankings: Asia (2025)
1.Peking University, Mainland China
2.The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
3.National University of Singapore,
4.Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
5.Fudan University, Mainland China
6.The Chinese University of Hong Kong
7.Tsinghua University, Mainland China
8.Zhejiang University, Mainland China
9.Yonsei University, South Korea
10.City University of Hong Kong
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Why In News
•Countries at the United Nations COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan will attempt to
agree rules for a global system for trading carbon offset credits. The 29th Conference
of the Parties, or COP29, began in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday perhaps with more
headwinds than ever before.
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•As talks opened, the United Nations warned that Paris climate agreement’s goals “are
in great peril” and 2024 is on track to break new temperature records. The period
from 2015 to 2024 will also be the warmest decade ever recorded, the UN’s World
Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a new report.
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Who Will Attend ?
•More than 32,000 people have registered to attend the COP29 this year.
•These will include representatives from all 198 countries that have ratified the convention. It will also
mark the first time the Taliban will attend a UN climate conference since their takeover of
Afghanistan in 2021.
•Diplomats, journalists, climate scientists, NGOs, activists, and Indigenous leaders will also attend.
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What is COP29
•It’s an annual gathering of the countries that have agreed to the 1992 United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change. Those countries, the parties to the convention, come together every
year and try to update their plans to address climate change. COP stands for Conference of the Parties.
This is the 29th such gathering.
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•In recent years, COP has grown from a relatively insular meeting of diplomats and policy experts into an
enormous event that attracts tens of thousands of attendees, including business executives, the leaders of nonprofit
groups and activists.
•Each year’s COP is held in a different city. This year, the formal proceedings will take place at the main sports
stadium in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan.
•The United Nations holds the conference in a different region of the world each year. This year’s event was slated
for Eastern Europe.
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•But Russia, which has veto power over the site selection, refused to
allow COP29 to be held in a European Union country because of the
bloc’s support for Ukraine.
•A UN-backed report has stated that emerging countries, excluding
China, need investments well beyond $2 trillion annually by 2030 if
the world is to halt global warming. An analysis commissioned by
the UK and Egypt found that a trillion dollars should come from rich
countries, investors, and multilateral development banks.
•The report added the remainder – about $1.4 trillion – must
originate domestically from private and public sources.
•In 2009, richer nations pledged to provide $100bn annually in
climate financing for developing countries by 2020, which they
achieved two years late.
•The world’s poorer nations are now calling for a new goal of at
least $1 trillion per year.
•Current donors are urging nations such as China – the world’s
largest annual emitter of greenhouse gases – and the UAE – a
major fossil fuel producer – which are still classified as developing
to contribute to the fund.
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•Agreements on the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) from all participating countries will be
high on the agenda.
•An NDC is a country’s national climate action plan that sets out its targets for reducing greenhouse gas
emissions in line with the goals set in the Paris Agreement.
•NDCs must be updated every five years, and with the next round due in early 2025, this year’s summit
presents the perfect opportunity to finalise each member’s goals.
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Agenda Of COP 29
•Climate finance is going to be the highlight of the 29th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP 29) on
climate change, which will be held from November 11-22, 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
•The agenda on the table is of critical significance for the Global South: an outcome on a newly negotiated
climate finance target.
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•This target, known as the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance, will represent
future annual flows of climate finance from developed to developing countries.
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•The NCQG is set to replace the commitments made by developed countries in 2009 to support climate
action in developing countries, by providing them US $100 billion per year by 2020 – a target that has
been met only once (in 2022).
•Beyond finance, COP 29 will also feature discussions on mitigation and adaptation.
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What Is The Paris Agreement
•The Paris Agreement is the first legally-binding global treaty on climate change
agreed in COP21 in Paris in 2015. Since 2015, under the Paris Agreement, almost all
countries in the world have committed to:
•Keep the rise in global average temperature to ‘well below’ 2°C, and ideally
below 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels
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•Strengthen the ability to adapt to climate change and build
resilience.
•Align finance flows with ‘a pathway towards low greenhouse
gas emissions and climate-resilient development’.
•The Paris Agreement has a ‘bottom-up’ approach where
Party countries individually decide by how much they will
reduce their national emissions each year.
•Parties communicate these targets to the UNFCCC
Secretariat in the form of ‘nationally determined
contributions’, or ‘NDCs’, which are revised every five years.
This five-year cycle of increasing ambition is known as
the ‘ratchet mechanism’. Read CISL’s briefing on the
implications of the Paris Agreement for business.
•Glasgow Pact : Reached at the COP26 summit in Scotland’s
Glasgow, the pact called for phase down of coal and phase out
of fossil fuel. This was the first time that a UN climate
agreement explicitly mentioned coal. The pact also marked the
resolution of the deadlock over carbon markets.
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•What Is Article 6 : Article 6 of the Paris Agreement helps countries work together to reduce their carbon
emissions. It sets out two options for countries and companies to trade offsets, helping them meet the
goals they set to reduce planetary-warming gases in their climate action plans, known as nationally
determined contributions (NDCs).
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•Global Stocktake
•It refers to a five-year review in which countries assess where they are in the fight against
climate change, and what needs to be done in the next five years to make this fight more effective
and potent.
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Some Important Concepts
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COP 28 Updates
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2024 Booker Prize
•British author Samantha Harvey has won the 2024
Booker Prize for her novel Orbital, the first book set
in space to win the prize.
•Orbital contemplates the world from a different
viewpoint as it follows a team of astronauts aboard
the International Space Station. It is the biggestselling book on the shortlist in the United
Kingdom and has also outsold the past three Booker
winners combined, up to the eve of their success.
•Ms Harvey is the first woman to win the award since
2019. She will receive 50,000 pounds. She dedicated
the prize to “all the people who speak for the Earth
and work for peace.”
•The name of the winner was announced at a
ceremony at London’s Old Billingsgate.
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✓ It is the world’s leading literary award for a single work of fiction.
✓ Founded in the UK in 1969, the Booker Prize initially rewarded Commonwealth writers and now
spans the globe: it is open to anyone regardless of origin.
✓ It aims to promote the finest in fiction by rewarding the best novel of the year written in English.
Eligibility:
✓ The Booker Prize awards any novel originally written in English and published in the UK and Ireland
in the year of the prize, regardless of the nationality of their author.
✓ The novel must be an original work in English (not a translation) .
✓ It must be published by a registered UK or Irish imprint; self-published novels are not eligible.
✓ The winner receives £50,000 and each of the shortlisted authors will be given £2,500.
✓ The Booker Prize Foundation: It is a registered charity established in 2002. Since then it has been
responsible for the award of the Man Booker Prize for Fiction, and for the Man Booker International
Prize since its inauguration in 2005.
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Samantha Harvey was awarded the Booker Prize 2024 for Fiction
for his book____.
A) The Promise
B) Great Circle
C) A Passage North
D) Orbital
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Answer : D .
✓ Samantha Harvey Space based book ‘Orbital’ wins Booker Prize 2024
✓ Orbital, a story set in space, won the prestigious literary prize, Booker prize
2024, for the British author Samantha Harvey. It is the first Booker prize for
Samantha Harvey and first since 2019 to be won by a female author.
✓ The winner of the Booker Prize 2024 was announced at a ceremony in London,
England, on 12 November 2024. At the function, Samantha Harvey was awarded
the Booker Prize trophy and £ 50,000 in prize money.
✓ The Prophet Song of Paul Lynch won the 2023 Booker Prize
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About the Booker Prize
✓ The Booker Prize, established in 1968, is considered to be one of the most prestigious
literary prizes in English literature.
✓ Since 1969, a novel published in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland has
been considered for the prize every year.
✓ P H Newby’s "Something to Answer For” won the first Booker Prize in 1969."
\
✓ Indian winner of the Booker Prize
✓ So far, three Indian authors have won the Booker Prize.
✓ Arundhati Roy in 1997 for The God of Small Things.
✓ Kiran Desai in 2006 for"The Inheritance of Loss".
✓ Aravind Adiga in 2008 for “The White Tiger.”
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✓ International Booker Prize
✓ Since 2004, the Booker Prize Foundation has also awarded the International
Booker Prize.
✓ Books written in non-English languages, translated into English, and published
in the United Kingdom or Ireland are considered for the award.
✓ It was awarded biennially, and since 2016, it has been awarded annually .
✓ The only Indian to win the award is Geetanjali Shree.
✓ She won the 2022 award for her Hindi novel 'Tomb of Sand’.
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World Intellectual Property Indicators report is published by:
A) World Bank
B) World Trade Organisation
C) International Monetary Fund
D) World Intellectual Property Organization
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Answer : D
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has published the World Intellectual Property Indicators (WIPI)
2024, underscoring global trends in intellectual property (IP) filings.
✓ The report reveals significant growth in patent, trademark, and industrial design applications across top economies.
✓ Highlights of the report
✓ India has secured a spot in the global top 10 for all three major intellectual property (IP) rights—patents,
trademarks, and industrial designs.
✓ India recorded the fastest growth in patent (+15.7%) applications in 2023 among the top 20 origins, marking the
fifth consecutive year of double-digit growth.
✓ India ranks sixth globally for patents with 64,480 applications, with resident filings accounting for over half of all
submissions (55.2%)—a first for the country.
✓ The top three sectors—Textiles and Accessories, Tools and Machines, and Health and Cosmetics—made up almost
half of all design filings,
✓ India ranked fourth globally in trademark filings, with a 6.1% increase in 2023. Nearly 90% of these filings were by
residents, with key sectors including Health (21.9%), Agriculture (15.3%), and Clothing (12.8%) leading the way.
✓ India’s trademark office holds the second-largest number of active registrations worldwide, with over 3.2 million
trademarks in force, reflecting the country’s strong position in global brand protection.
✓ World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
✓ Formation : 1967
✓ Headquarters : Geneva, Switzerland
✓ Director General : Daren Tang (Singapore)
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The State of the Climate 2024 report is released by which one of the following
organizations?
A) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
B) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
C) World Meteorological Organisation (WMO)
D) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
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Answer : C .
✓ State of the Climate 2024 Report once again issues a Red Alert at the sheer pace of
climate change in a single generation, turbo-charged by ever-increasing greenhouse gas
levels in the atmosphere. ✓ About State of the Climate 2024 Report:
✓ It was released by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) during the United
National Climate Conference (COP29) in Baku.
✓ Highlights:
✓ The year 2024 is on track to be the warmest year on record after an extended streak of
exceptionally high monthly global mean temperatures.
✓ From January to September of this year, the global average temperature was 1.54
degrees above the preindustrial level, with climate warming boosted by the El Niño
weather pattern.
✓ 2023 already showed the highest observed levels of greenhouse gas emissions on
record, and real-time data indicates they continued to rise in 2024.
✓ The volume of heat-trapping carbon dioxide increased by 51% between 1750 and
2023.
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Unified Payments Interface (UPI) created a new record with how many
billion transactions in October 2024?
A) 19.76 billion
B) 21.62 billion
C) 23.12 billion
D) 16.58 billion
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Answer : D .
UPI sets new record in October 2024 with 16.58 bn transactions worth Rs 23.5 trn.
✓ There were 16.58 billion Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions worth Rs 23.5 trillion in
October, the highest numbers for the digital system since it became operational in April 2016.
✓ UPI’s previous peak was 15.04 billion in volume terms in September 2024 and Rs 20.64 trillion in
value in July.
✓ It was the first time that UPI crossed 16 billion in volume and Rs 23 trillion in value.
✓ October witnessed a 10 per cent increase in volume and 14 per cent in value compared to September.
✓ There were 14.96 billion UPI transactions amounting to Rs 20.61 trillion in August, according to data
shared by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
✓ In September, PhonePe maintained its leading position in India’s UPI market with a 48% share of
transaction volume. Google Pay came in second with 37.4%, followed by Paytm in third place with 7%.
The market share data for October has yet to be released.
✓ Recently, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) granted approval to One97
Communications Limited, Paytm's parent company, to onboard new users onto its UPI platform.
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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has launched India's first
analog space mission at which place?
A) Leh, Ladakh
B) Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh
C) Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha
D) Thumba, Kerala
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Answer : A .
✓ ISRO has launched India's first analog space mission in Leh, Ladakh.
✓ The mission is a collaboration between ISRO, the University of Ladakh,
IIT Bombay, AAKA Space Studio, and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill
Development Council
✓ The mission aims to simulate interplanetary habitat conditions,
addressing the challenges of establishing a base station beyond Earth.
•Importance:
• Location:The geography of Ladakh with its extreme isolation, dry climate, and
barren, high-altitude terrain provide an ideal simulating conditions similar to
Mars and the Moon.
• Future Missions: The mission will help in gathering critical data that will support
India’s Gaganyaan program and future missions.
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Exercise GARUD SHAKTI, is conducted between India and:
A) Nepal
B) Japan
C) Russia
D) Indonesia
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Answer : D .
✓ The Indian Army contingent comprising 25 personnel departed for Cijantung,
Jakarta, Indonesia to take part in the Exercise GARUD SHAKTI
✓ It is the 9th edition of India-Indonesia Joint Special Forces exercise.
✓ The Indian contingent is being represented by troops from The Parachute
Regiment (Special Forces).
✓ The aim of Exercise is to acquaint both the sides with each other’s operating
procedures, enhance mutual understanding, cooperation and interoperability
between the Special Forces of both armies.
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EXERCISE IN NEWS 2024
Indian Army contingent departs for 9th India-Indonesia joint exercise GARUD SHAKTI
24 in Jakarta.
➢ The Indian Army contingent departed today for the 15th edition of India- US joint
Special Forces Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR.
➢ The exercise is scheduled to be conducted from 2nd to 22nd November 2024 at
Orchard Combat Training Centre in Idaho, USA
➢ The 31st edition of the Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) is
scheduled from 23 to 29 Oct 2024, in the Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam.
➢ India -Kazakhstan joint military exercise 8th edition of KAZIND-2024 commenced at
the mountainous Surya Foreign Training node in Auli, Uttarakhand, on 30 September
2024.
➢ Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman conduct a bilateral maritime exercise
called Naseem Al Bahr, or Sea Breeze Exercise.
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➢ The 13th edition of the Naseem Al Bahr exercise was held off the coast of Oman from November 19
to 24, 2024
➢ The seventh edition of the bilateral military exercise Exercise Eastern Bridge between the Indian Air
Force and the Royal Oman Air Force commenced at the Air Force Base Masirah, Oman, on 11th
September 2024.
➢ The 5th edition of the bilateral military exercise Al NAJAH between the Indian Army and the Royal
Army of Oman will be held from September 13th to 26th at the Rabkoot Training Area in Salalah,
Oman
➢ The 20th edition of the annual India-US Joint military exercise code-named Yudh Abhyas 2024
commenced at the Foreign Training Node in Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan
➢ India will host the international air exercise ‘Tarang Shakti’ in two phases, taking place in Tamil
Nadu and Rajasthan
➢ India Army off to Mongolia to take part in 21st EX- KHAAN QUEST 2024 will be held in the
Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
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An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent is participating in Exercise Pitch Black 2024 which is scheduled to be
conducted from 12 July 24 to 02 August 24 in Austarlia.
➢ Indian multi-role stealth frigate INS Shivalik, that was deployed on mission in south China Sea and
north Pacific Ocean, has reached Pearl Harbour in Hawaii to take part in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC)
exercise, world’s largest naval exercise.
➢ Indian Air Force and Egyptian Air Force participated in the Exercise HOPEX 2024.
➢ The 8th edition of the Japan-India Maritime Exercise(JIMEX-24) has started at Yokosuka, Japan
➢ Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy are taking part in two mega multinational war games named
Exercise Red Flag and RIMPAC (Rim of the Pacific).
➢ Joint military Exercise Shakti between the Indian and the French forces will be held at the Joint
Training Node of the Indian Army in Umroi, Meghalaya, from 13 -26 May 2024
➢ The 5th edition of the ‘Dustlik’ joint military exercise between India and Uzbekistan begins in
Uzbekistan
➢ Recently, a two-day 'Sagar Kavach' exercise was organised in the Lakshadweep Islands.
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An Indian Army contingent on Monday departed for Seychelles to participate in the 10th edition of
joint military exercise “LAMITIYE-2024” with Seychelles Defence Forces (SDF). The joint exercise will
be conducted in Seychelles from March 18-27, 2024.
➢ The naval forces of China, Iran, and Russia recently launched a joint exercise called the “Maritime
Security Belt-2024” near the Gulf of Oman.
➢ The joint exercise 'Bharat-Shakti' of the three armies of India (Army, Navy and Air Force) will be
organized in Asia's largest field firing range located in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
➢ The United States Coast Guard’s (USCG) Bertholf ship reached Port Blair ahead of the ‘Sea
Defenders-2024’ joint exercise.
➢ Exercise Samudra Laksamana kicked off on February 28 and will continue until March 2, taking
place at or off the coast of Visakhapatnam
➢ North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) started its largest military exercise in Europe, the
Steadfast Defender 2024, recently.
➢ The 5th edition of the joint military exercise 'DHARMA GUARDIAN' is being organized at the
Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan.
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India's updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan aims to
protect 30 percent of its land, inland water, and coastal and marine
areas by which year?
A) 2025
B) 2030
C) 2028
D) 2029
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Answer : B .
✓ India commits to 30 per cent protected areas in updated biodiversity plan.
✓ India has launched its updated biodiversity action plan with a goal to protect at
least 30 percent of its terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine areas by
2030, in line with global biodiversity targets.
✓ The updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), unveiled
at the 16th UN Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia, outlines 23 national
targets aligned with the 23 global goals set under the Kunming-Montreal Global
Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF), which was adopted at the 15th UN Biodiversity
Conference in Canada in 2022.
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A key goal of the KM-GBF is to protect at least 30 percent of the world's land and
ocean areas by 2030. It also aims to restore degraded ecosystems, such as forests,
wetlands, and rivers, to ensure they continue providing essential resources like
clean water and air.
✓ India, recognised as one of the 17 megadiverse countries, became a party to the
UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1994. It harbours 7-8 percent of the
world's recorded species within just 2.4 percent of the global land area.
✓ According to the updated NBSAP, India spent around Rs 32,200 crore on
biodiversity protection, conservation, and restoration from 2017-2018 to 20212022. The projected annual average expenditure for biodiversity conservation
through 2029-2030 is estimated to be Rs 81,664.88 crore.
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Who was crowned as Miss Universe at the 73rd Miss Universe 2024
pageant held in Mexico City Arena, Mexico?
A) Sheynnis Palacios
B) Kjær Theilvig
C) R'Bonney Gabriel
D) Chidimma Adetshina
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Answer : B .
✓ Denmark's Victoria Kjaer Theilvig named 73rd Miss Universe.
✓ Victoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark has been crowned Miss Universe for 2024,
marking her country's first win at the international beauty pageant.
✓ The 73rd edition of the pageant, which saw participation by more than 120
contestants, was held at the Mexico City Arena.
✓ Miss Nigeria Chidimma Adetshina placed second, whereas Miss Mexico Maria
Fernanda Beltran came in third.
✓ Rhea Singha, who represented India at the 73rd edition of the competition, was
called into the list of top 30 contestants
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MISS WORLD / UNIVERSE IN NEWS 2024
Victoria Kjaer Theilvig of Denmark has been crowned Miss Universe for 2024
➢ Nikita Porwal from Madhya Pradesh was crowned Femina Miss India World 2024.
➢ Rhea Singha wins Miss Universe India 2024 title.
➢ Alejandra Marisa Rodriguez, aged 60, made history by clinching the crown of Miss Universe Buenos Aires 2024.
➢ Krystyna Pyszkova of the Czech Republic was crowned Miss World 2024.
➢ List of Miss World winners from India
1. Reita Faria : 1966
2. Aishwarya Rai : 1994
3. Diana Hayden : 1997
4. Yukta Mookhey : 1999
5. Priyanka Chopra : 2000
6. Manushi Chhillar : 2017.
➢ List of Miss Universe winners from India
1. Sushmita Sen : 1994
2. Lara Dutta : 2000
3. Harnaaz Sandhu : 2021.
➢ Reita Faria is the first Indian to win the Miss World in 1966.
➢ Sushmita Sen first Indian to win the Miss Universe title in 1994.
➢ Nicole Faria became the first Indian to win the ‘Miss Earth’ in 2010
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G20 Summit Concludes
•The 1st session ‘Sustainable Development and Energy
Transition’ addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The 2nd session of the day will be held on digital
infrastructure.
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi participated in
the Session of the G20 Summit on Sustainable
Development and Energy Transition at Rio De Janeiro in
Brazil.
•Mr Modi highlighted the importance of accelerating
efforts to ensure a cleaner, more sustainable future for all,
including through mainstreaming Varanasi Principles
on LiFE and initiatives such as the International Solar
Alliance, One World-One Sun-One Grid and the Global BioFuel Alliance.
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•Addressing the session on Social Inclusion and the Fight
Against Hunger and Poverty, Mr. Modi underscored the
disproportionate impact of global conflicts on the Global
South.
•Prime Minister Modi also complimented Brazil for
advancing the “people-centric decisions” made during
India’s G-20 presidency. He reaffirmed the enduring relevance
of India’s G-20 theme, “One Earth, One Family, One
Future,” and called for inclusive global governance reforms.
•The summit saw the launch of a global alliance to combat
poverty and hunger, supported by 80 nations. In a social
media post, the Prime Minister described the initiative as
“commendable,” affirming India’s full support for food security
and social upliftment efforts.
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•Highlighting India’s domestic achievements, Mr. Modi
stated that over 250 million people were lifted out of
poverty in the past decade. The country is providing
free food grains to 800 million citizens and has
implemented the world’s largest health insurance
scheme, covering 550 million individuals.
•Mr. Modi also shared India’s contributions to global
food security, including aid to Africa and other
regions. He highlighted how digital public
infrastructure and aspirational development programs
are fostering inclusive growth in India. The Prime
Minister concluded by reiterating the need for reforms
in global governance to amplify the voices of the Global
South, just as India championed the African Union’s
inclusion in the G-20 during its presidency.
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•G20 leaders have adopted the Rio de Janeiro
Declaration at its 19th Summit in the Brazilian
city. They have called for action on Climate
Change and wars in Ukraine and West Asia. The
Declaration released last night is aimed at
addressing major global challenges and
crises and promote strong, sustainable, and
inclusive growth.
•The declaration called for an enlarged Security
Council composition that improves the
representation of the underrepresented and
unrepresented regions and groups. The
declaration condemned terrorism in all its
forms and manifestations.
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•Expressing the deep concern about the situation in the
Gaza Strip and the escalation in Lebanon, the declaration
emphasized on the urgent need to expand the flow of
humanitarian assistance and to reinforce the protection of
civilians.
• It called for peaceful resolution of conflicts and efforts to
address crises with diplomacy and dialogue. It
reaffirmed the strong commitment to multilateralism,
especially in light of the progress made under the UNFCCC
and the Paris Agreement.
•19th G20 Summit Has Ended With Brazil’s President Lula
Da Silva Handing Over The Presidency To President Of
South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa.
•Various Initiatives Taken Under Brazil’s
Presidency, Launching Of Global Alliance Against Hunger
And Poverty And Starting An Unprecedented Debate On
Taxing, Bringing Climate Change On The Agenda Of
Finance Ministries And Central Banks And Approving
The First Multilateral Document On The Bioeconomy.
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•A Call To Action For Reforms To Make Global Governance More
Effective And Representative And Engaging In A Dialogue With
Society Through The G20 Social Is Also One Of The Initiatives.
•The Actions Also Include, Establishing Of Women’s
Empowerment Working Group, Proposing An Eighteenth
Sustainable Development Goal To Promote Racial Equality,
Continuing Commitment To Tripling Global Renewable Energy
Capacity By 2030, Creating A Coalition For Local Regional
Production Of Vaccines And Medicine.
•During The Summit, WHO Investment Rounds Were Held To
Meet Collective Response To New And Persistent Health
Challenges. Strategy To Promote Cooperation In Open
Innovation Against Asymmetries In Scientific And
Technological Production And To Establish A Task Force On The
Governance Of Artificial Intelligence In The G20 Were Also
Decided.
•President Lula Da Silva Said, After The South African
Presidency, All The G20 Countries Will Have Exercised The
Leadership Of The Group At Least Once.
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PM Modi Embarks On Three Day Tour To Guyana
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a threeday visit to Guyana after successfully concluding his Brazil
visit. The visit to Guyana is the first by an Indian Prime
Minister since 1968.
•Mr Modi will hold discussions with the President of
Guyana, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali at Georgetown. Prime
Minister will also participate in the Second CARICOM-India
Summit and hold meetings with leaders of CARICOM
member countries to further enhance India’s long-standing
friendship with the region.
• On Thursday, Prime Minister will address the Parliament
of Guyana. He is also scheduled to address a gathering of
the Indian diaspora.
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PM Modi Embarks On Three Day Tour To Guyana
The Caribbean Community and Common Market
(CARICOM) has 15 member states and 5 associate
member states:
•Member states
•Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados,
Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica,
Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and
Trinidad and Tobago
•Associate member states
•Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the
Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands
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100 years of Discovery of IVC
Why in News?
20th September 2024, marked 100 years since the
discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization, which was
announced by archaeologist Sir John Marshall
on 20th September 1924.
•This civilization spans over 2,000 sites across 1.5
million sq. km in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan and
is famous for its advanced urban planning and
architecture.
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What was Harappan Civilization?
•About:
• The Harappan Civilization, also known as the Indus Valley
Civilization (IVC), flourished around 2500 BCE along the Indus
River .
• It was the largest of the four ancient urban
civilizations alongside Egypt, Mesopotamia, and China.
• The IVC is classified as a Bronze-age civilization due to the
discovery of numerous artefacts made from copper-based
alloys.
• Daya Ram Sahni first excavated Harappa in 1921-22,
and Rakhal Das Banerji began excavating Mohenjodaro in 1922.
• Sir John Marshall, DG of ASI was responsible for the
excavations that led to the discovery
of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro sites of IVC.
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•Phases:
• Early phase (3200 BCE to 2600 BCE): This phase
is associated with the Hakra Phase, which was
discovered in the Ghaggar-Hakra River Valley. The
earliest Indus script dates back to 3000 BC.
• Mature period (2600 BCE to 1900 BCE): By 2600
BC, the IVC had reached a mature stage. Early
Harappan towns, like Harappa and Mohenjodaro in
Pakistan and Lothal in India, were growing into
major urban centres
• Late phase (1900 BCE to 1500 BCE): In this phase,
Harappan civilization decayed and collapsed.
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What were the Important Sites of Harappan Civilization?
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What were the Key Features of Harappan Civilization?
•Town Planning:
• The Harappan culture was notable for its advanced town planning
with cities designed in the grid-like layout.
• Both Harappa and Mohenjodaro featured a citadel or acropolis, likely
occupied by the ruling class.
• Below these citadels lay the lower towns, consisting of brick
houses inhabited by common people.
• Granaries of large size were used to store grains, and there
was widespread use of burnt bricks, which is different compared to
the dried bricks used in contemporary Egyptian structures.
• Mohenjodaro had an impressive drainage system, and almost all
houses had courtyards and bathrooms.
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•Agriculture:
• Harappan villages, primarily located near floodplains,
were highly productive, yielding crops such as wheat,
barley, peas, sesame, lentils, chickpeas, rai,
and mustard.
• Millets were also cultivated, particularly in Gujarat,
though rice was rare. The Indus people were among
the first to produce cotton (Greeks called it “Sindon”).
• While agricultural activity is evidenced by grain
remains, reconstructing specific farming techniques is
challenging.
• In addition to farming, animal husbandry was
widespread.
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•Economy:
• Trade played a vital role in Harappan life, evident from the
widespread use of seals, a uniform script, and standardised
weights and measures.
• Major trade items included stone, metal, and shell.
• The barter system was used, as metal currency did not exist.
• Navigation was practised along the Arabian Sea coast.
• A trading colony in northern Afghanistan facilitated commerce
with Central Asia.
• The Harappans engaged in trade with Mesopotamia (TigrisEuphrates region).
• Long-distance trade in lapis lazuli (blue semi precious stone)
likely enhanced the social status of the ruling class.
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•Crafts:
• Harappans were skilled in bronze manufacturing,
using copper from Rajasthan (Khetri mines) and tin
possibly from Afghanistan.
• Textile impressions on objects suggest a knowledge of
weaving.
• Key crafts included boat-making, bead-making, sealmaking, and terracotta production.
• Goldsmiths crafted jewellery from gold, silver, and precious
stones.
• The potter's wheel was widely used, producing glossy,
distinctive pottery.
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•Religion:
• Numerous terracotta figurines of women suggest worship of a
fertility goddess, similar to the Egyptian goddess Isis.
• A male deity, identified as Pashupati Mahadeva (in yogi
posture), is depicted on a seal with three horned heads,
surrounded by animals like elephants, tigers, rhinoceros, and
buffalo.
• Symbols of the phallus (male sex organ) and female sex
organs indicate fertility worship.
• The Harappans worshipped animals and trees, with
the unicorn (possibly a rhinoceros) and the humped bull being
significant.
• Amulets were commonly found, likely used for protection or
religious purposes.
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What were the Possible Reasons for Decline of Harappan Civilization?
•Invasion Theory: Some scholars suggest that Indo-European tribes,
known as the Aryans, invaded and overthrew the IVC. However, evidence
of cultural continuity in later societies challenges this abrupt invasion
narrative.
•Natural Environmental Changes: More widely accepted is the impact of
environmental factors.
• Tectonic Activity: Earthquakes may have altered river courses,
leading to the drying up of essential water sources.
• Changes in Rainfall Patterns: Shifts in monsoon patterns could
have diminished agricultural productivity, resulting in food
shortages.
• Flooding: Altered river courses might have caused flooding in key
agricultural areas, further threatening the civilization’s stability.
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Recent Initiatives Related to IVC Sites
•National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC): Under
the Sagarmala programme, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and
Waterways (MoPSW) is developing a NMHC at Lothal. It
includes a museum, theme parks, a research institute, and more,
to showcase India's maritime history and heritage, and attract
tourists.
•Dholavira added to UNESCO's World Heritage list: In July 2021,
Dholavira was named India's 40th World Heritage
Site by UNESCO.
•Development of Rakhigarhi as an Iconic Site: Union Budget
(2020-21) has proposed to develop Rakhigarhi (Hisar
district,Haryana) as an iconic site.
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Which scheme has been approved by the central government in September
2024 to improve the socio-economic condition of the tribals in the country?
A) Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN)
B) Pradhan Mantri Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana
C) Eklavya Model Residential Schools
D) Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA)
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Answer : D .
Center approves PMJUGA scheme for holistic Tribal Development.
Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA), to improve
the socio-economic condition of the country's tribal majority villages
and aspirational districts.
✓ The scheme seeks to utilise the existing central government scheme
to achieve the objectives of the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram
Abhiyan (PMJUGA) scheme.
✓ Union Finance Minister Niramala Sitharaman proposed the scheme
in her 2024-25 Union Budget speech.
✓ Duration and Allocation for the PMJUGA Scheme
✓ The duration of the PMJUGA scheme is five years.
✓ The total allocation for the scheme is Rs.79,156 crore, of which the
central government's share will be Rs.56,333 crore, and the State
government's share will be Rs. 22,823 crore.
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Coverage of the PMJUGA Scheme
✓ The PMJUGA scheme will be implemented in 549
districts and 2,740 blocks in all tribal majority villages
and aspirational districts of 30 States / Union Territories.
✓ According to the government, the scheme is expected
to cover 63,000 villages and benefit more than 5 crore
tribal people.
✓ According to the 2011 census, the tribal population in
the country was 10.45 crore
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Goals of the PMJUGA Scheme
The PMJUGA scheme comprises 25 interventions to be implemented by 17
Union Ministries. The task and funds for the concerned ministries will be
allocated under the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST)
in the next 5 years to achieve the following four goals.
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Development of Enabling Infrastructure
✓ 20 lakh pucca houses to be built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas
Yojana (Gramin),
✓ Electricity connection is to be provided to eligible households under
the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme,
✓ Piped drinking water to eligible households under the Jal Jeevan
Mission,
✓ Ayushman Health Card to be issued under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana(AB PM-JAY).
✓ 25 Lakh LPG connection under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjawala Yojana
✓ 5000 villages to be connected with a broadband connection through
Bharat Net Yojana
✓ 25000 km of all-weather roads to be constructed under the Pradhan
Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana,
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Economic Empowerment
✓ The eligible tribal boys and girls will be skilled through the Skill India Mission after the 10th/12th
standard.
✓ The beneficiaries will be provided support to sell their products through Tribal Multipurpose
Marketing Centre (TMMC),
✓ Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, tourism in these areas will be promoted through 1000
homestays. Eligible households will be provided Rs. 5.00 lakhs for the construction of two new rooms,
up to Rs. 3.00 lakhs for renovation of existing rooms, and Rs 5 lakh for village community
requirements.
✓ The forest rights of the twenty-two lakh Forest Right Holders (FRA) patta holders will be recognised
to secure their forest rights. They will be empowered to maintain and conserve the forests and
provide them with sustainable livelihoods through the support of the government scheme.
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GK & CURRENT AFFAIRS
Access to Good Education
✓ 1000 Tribal hostels are to be constructed under the Samgra Shiksha Abhiyan to
bring the gross enrollment ratio of the tribal students to the national level
✓ Healthy Living
✓ Measures to be taken to reduce the infant mortality rates (IMR) and maternal
mortality rates (MMR) in these blocks to the national level.
✓ Coverage of these remote areas under the Universal Immunisation scheme through
mobile medical units in areas where the sub-centre is more than 10 km in plain areas
and 5 km in the Hilly areas
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GK & CURRENT AFFAIRS
What is the duration of the recently approved Pradhan
Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA) scheme?
A) five years
B) four years
C) six years
D) three years
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GK & CURRENT AFFAIRS
Answer : A . ✓ The duration of the PMJUGA scheme is five years
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GK & CURRENT AFFAIRS
What is the allocation for the recently approved Pradhan
Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA)?
A) Rs.56,340 crore
B) Rs.65,810 crore
C) Rs.81,780 crore
D) Rs.79,156 crore
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GK & CURRENT AFFAIRS
Answer : D . ✓ The total allocation for the scheme is Rs.79,156 crore,
of which the central government's share will be Rs.56,333 crore, and
the State government's share will be Rs. 22,823 crore
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GK & CURRENT AFFAIRS
The recently approved Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat
Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA) will be implemented in how
many states/Union Territory?
A) 28
B) 30
C) 26
D) 22
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GK & CURRENT AFFAIRS
Answer : B . ✓ The PMJUGA scheme will be implemented in 549 districts and
2,740 blocks in all tribal majority villages and aspirational districts of 30 States /
Union Territories
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GK & CURRENT AFFAIRS
How many goals have been identified under the Pradhan
Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan (PMJUGA) scheme?
A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 7
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GK & CURRENT AFFAIRS
Answer : B .
✓ Goals of the PMJUGA Scheme
The PMJUGA scheme comprises 25 interventions to be implemented by 17 Union
Ministries. The task and funds for the concerned ministries will be allocated under
the Development Action Plan for Scheduled Tribes (DAPST) in the next 5 years to
achieve the following four goals
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Birth Anniversary of Gandhi Ji and Shastri Ji
2nd October, every year is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. Both of
these leaders have played a monumental role in shaping our Nation.
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What are the Key Facts About
Mahatma Gandhi?
•Birth: 2nd October 1869 in Porbandar (Gujarat).
•Brief Profile: Lawyer, politician, social activist,
and writer who became the leader of the
nationalist movement against the British rule of
India.
•Books Written: Hind Swaraj, My Experiments
with Truth (Autobiography)
•Death: He was shot dead by Nathuram Godse on
30th January 1948.
• 30th January is observed as Martyrs' Day.
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•Role in India’s Freedom Struggle
•Leadership of the Indian National Congress (INC): Mahatma
Gandhi became a prominent leader of the INC in the early
20th century, advocating for non-violent resistance and mass
mobilization to challenge British rule.
• The Belgaum session in 1924 was the only Congress session
which was presided over by Gandhi Ji.
•Non-Cooperation Movement (NCM) (1920-1922): Gandhi launched
the NCM in response to the Jallianwala Bagh massacre and the
repressive Rowlatt Act.
• He urged Indians to boycott British institutions, goods, and
honours, leading to widespread participation across the
country.
• Gandhi Ji was awarded the Kaisar-i-Hind gold medal in
1915 for his service in the Boer War but returned it in 1920 to
protest the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
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•Salt March (1930): Gandhi led the Salt March to the Gujarati
coastal town of Dandi, protesting the British salt tax. This marked
the beginning of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
•Quit India Movement (QIM) (1942): Gandhi called for the QIM,
demanding an end to British rule in India.
• His slogan, "Do or Die," inspired millions to participate in
protests, strikes, and acts of civil disobedience, marking a
significant escalation in the freedom struggle.
•Philosophy of Non-Violence: Throughout his activism, Gandhi
emphasized the principles of Satyagraha (truth force) and Ahimsa
(non-violence), advocating for peaceful protests and moral
integrity.
• His approach not only influenced the Indian independence
movement but also inspired civil rights movements
worldwide such as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King
Jr.
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What are the Key Facts About Lal Bahadur
Shastri?
•Birth: He was born on 2nd October 1904 in Mughalsarai,
Uttar Pradesh.
•Brief Profile: He was the second Prime Minister of India,
known for his leadership and his slogan "Jai Jawan Jai
Kisan," emphasising the importance of both soldiers and
farmers in nation-building.
•Death: He died on 11th January 1966, in Tashkent,
Uzbekistan.
• He was the first person to be posthumously
awarded the Bharat Ratna (1966).
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•His Role in Nation Building:
• Leadership in the 1965 Indo-Pak War: Lal Bahadur Shastri effectively led India during the 1965
war, boosting national morale.
• Green Revolution: Shastri played a key role in promoting the Green Revolution which
helped India increase agricultural production and move towards self-sufficiency in food grains,
addressing the nation’s food security challenges.
• National Integration: worked to foster national unity and integration by promoting harmony
among diverse regions, languages, and cultures.
• While simultaneously encouraging policies of industrialization and self-reliance to
strengthen India's economic growth and reduce dependence on foreign imports.
• Civil Services: Shastri emphasized the need for civil servants to maintain high ethical standards,
transparency, and dedication, ensuring that the administration remained free from corruption
and was committed to public service.
• Eg. He resigned as Rail Minister in 1952, taking moral responsibility for a rail accident that
resulted in casualties.
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Bhagat Singh’s Birth Anniversary
Why in News?
Recently, Prime Minister paid tribute to
India's charismatic revolutionary Bhagat Singh
on his birth anniversary, and announced that
the Chandigarh airport will be renamed after
Bhagat Singh as a tribute to the great freedom
fighter.
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Who was Bhagat Singh?
Early Life:
•Born as Bhaganwala on the 28th September 1907, Bhagat
Singh grew up in a petty-bourgeois family of Sandhu Jats
settled in the Jullundur Doab district of Punjab.
• He belonged to a generation that was to intervene
between two decisive phases of the Indian national
movement - the phase of the 'Extremism' of Lal-BalPal and the Gandhian phase of nonviolent mass action.
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•Role in Freedom Struggle:
•In 1923, Bhagat Singh joined the National College, Lahore which was founded and
managed by Lala Lajpat Rai and Bhai Parmanand.
• The College was set up as an alternative to the institutions run by the
Government, bringing to the field of education the idea of Swadeshi.
•In 1924 in Kanpur, he became a member of the Hindustan Republican
Association started by Sachindranath Sanyal a year earlier. The main organiser of the
Association was Chandra Shekhar Azad and Bhagat Singh became very close to him.
• It was as a member of the HRA that Bhagat Singh began to take seriously the
Philosophy of the Bomb.
• Revolutionary Bhagwati Charan Vohra wrote the famous article Philosophy of
the Bomb. Including the philosophy of the bomb, he authored three
important political documents; the other two were the Manifesto of
Naujawan Sabha and the Manifesto of HSRA.
• Armed revolution was understood to be the only weapon with which to fight
British imperialism.
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•In 1925, Bhagat Singh returned to Lahore and within the next year he and his
colleagues started a militant youth organisation called the Naujawan Bharat Sabha.
•In April 1926, Bhagat Singh established contact with Sohan Singh Josh and through
him the 'Workers and Peasants Party' which brought out the monthly magazine Kirti
in Punjabi.
• For the next year Bhagat Singh worked with Josh and joined the editorial
board of Kirti.
•In 1927, he was first arrested on charges of association with the Kakori Case,
accused for an article written under the pseudonym Vidrohi (Rebel).
•In 1928, Bhagat Singh changed the name of the Hindustan Republican Association to
the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association (HSRA).
• In 1930, when Azad was shot, the HSRA collapsed.
• Naujawan Bharat Sabha replaced HSRA in Punjab.
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•To take revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh and his associates
plotted the assassination of James A. Scott, the Superintendent of Police. However,
the revolutionaries mistakenly killed J.P. Saunders. The incident is famously known
as Lahore Conspiracy case (1929).
• In 1928, Lala Lajpat Rai had led a procession to protest against the arrival of
the Simon Commission. The police resorted to a brutal lathi charge, in which
Lala Lajpat Rai was severely injured and later succumbed to his injuries.
•Bhagat Singh and B.K. Dutt threw a bomb on 8th April, 1929 in the Central
Legislative Assembly, in protest against the passing of two repressive bills, the
Public Safety Bill and the Trade Dispute Bill.
• The aim, as their leaflet explained, was not to kill but to make the deaf hear,
and to remind the foreign government of its callous exploitation.
• Both Bhagat Singh and B.K. Dutt surrendered thereafter and faced trial so
they could further promote their cause. They were awarded life
imprisonment for this incident.
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• However, Bhagat Singh was re-arrested for the murder of J.P. Saunders and
bomb manufacturing in the Lahore Conspiracy case. He was found guilty in
this case and was hanged on 23rd March, 1931 in Lahore along with Sukhdev
and Rajguru.
• Every year, 23rd March is observed as Martyrs’ Day as a tribute to freedom
fighters Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, and Rajguru.
•Publications:
• Why I Am an Atheist: An Autobiographical Discourse
• The Jail Notebook and Other Writings.
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Consider the following statements regarding the Param Rudra Supercomputers:
1. It is designed to tackle complex computational challenges across various
scientific and engineering domains.
2. It is indigenously developed under the National Supercomputing Mission.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A) 1 only
B) 2 only
C) Both 1 and 2
D) Neither 1 nor 2
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Answer : C .
❖ ✓ Prime Minister of India virtually launched three Param Rudra Super Computing Systems and a
High-Performance Computing (HPC) system for weather and climate research.
❖ ✓ It is designed to tackle complex computational challenges across various scientific and
engineering domains.
❖ ✓ Three Param Rudra supercomputers have been developed at Rs 130 crores, indigenously
under the National Supercomputing Mission.
❖ ✓ They have been deployed at three key locations: Delhi, Pune and Kolkata.
❖ ✓ In Pune, the Giant Metre Radio Telescope (GMRT) will leverage the supercomputer to explore
Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) and other astronomical phenomena.
❖ ✓ In Delhi, Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC) will enhance research in fields like
material science and atomic physics.
❖ ✓ In Kolkata, S N Bose Centre will use supercomputing technology to drive advanced research in
areas such as physics, cosmology and earth sciences.
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Key facts about the National Supercomputing Mission
✓ It was launched in 2015 to provide the country with supercomputing
infrastructure to meet the increasing computational demands of academia,
researchers, MSMEs, and startups.
✓ It aims to create a network of advanced computing systems across India.
✓ It is collaboration between the Ministry of Electronics and Information
Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
✓ It is implemented by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), Pune and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru.
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Consider the following statements regarding the Central Silk Board:
1. It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Textiles,
Government of India.
2. Its chairperson is appointed by the Central Government of India.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A) 1 only
B) 2 only
C) Both 1 and 2
D) Neither 1 nor 2
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Answer : C .
✓ Union Minister of Textiles unveiled the Commemoratory coin, celebrating the Platinum Jubilee of
the Central Silk Board (CSB) at Mysuru.
✓ It is a Statutory Body established during 1948, by an act of Parliament.
✓ It functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
✓ The Board comprises 39 members appointed as per the powers and provisions conferred by
Sub-Section 3 of Section 4 of the CSB Act 1948, for a period of 3 years.
✓ The Chairperson of the Board to be appointed by the Central Government.
Functions
✓ It advises the Central Government on all matters relating to production, supply, distribution,
trade and commerce in silk-worm seed, the development of the silk industry and its products
including export and import.
✓ It has established 6 Regional Offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar
and Guwahati.
✓ Headquarters: Bengaluru.
Silk Production in India
✓ India has the unique distinction of being the only country producing all the five known
commercial silk s, namely, mulberry, tropical tasar, oak tasar, eri and muga.
India is the second largest producer of silk in the world.
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The Maharashtra government has officially approved the renaming of
which airport to ‘Tukaram Maharaj Airport’ in honour of the revered
17th-century saint?
A) Sindhudurg Airport
B) Juhu Airport
C) Pune Airport
D) Nashik Airport
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Answer : C .
✓ Pune airport to be renamed ‘Tukaram Maharaj Airport
✓ The Maharashtra government has officially approved the renaming of Pune airport
to ‘Tukaram Maharaj Airport’ in honour of the revered 17th-century saint.
✓ This move aims to pay tribute to Sant Tukaram Maharaj, a prominent spiritual
figure in Maharashtra’s history, known for his devotional poetry and influence on the
Bhakti movement.
✓ Sant Tukaram was a significant saint and spiritual poet of the Bhakti movement,
born in Pune district
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AIRPORT IN NEWS 2024
Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) wins best airport award for third consecutive year.
➢ Thiruvananthapuram International Airport Limited (TIAL) Receives Greentech Award For Zero Waste To
Landfill.
➢ Delhi Airport launches India’s first self-service mechanism for check-in luggage
➢ Thiruvananthapuram International Airport was awarded the zero waste to landfill (ZWL) accolade by the
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII-ITC) Centre of Excellence.
➢ Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport will be World's Largest
➢ GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) won the ‘Best Airport Staff in India & South Asia 2024’
award by Skytrax at the Passenger Terminal EXPO 2024 in Frankfurt, Germany
➢ The government of Sri Lanka has decided to hand over the management of a Chinese-built Mattala Rajapaksa
International Airport in Hambantota to an Indian and Russian company
➢ Delhi airport included among the 10th busiest airports in the world
➢ Manohar International Airport, Mopa, joins 13 others in India adopting the Digi Yatra system, enhancing travel
convenience.
➢ Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi, India has been named the “Best Airport” in the Asia-Pacific
region for six years in a row
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What is the total approved budget of the Chandrayaan-4 mission of ISRO?
A) Rs 1820.90 crore
B) Rs 1550.30 crore
C) Rs 2104.06 crore
D) Rs 1090.10 crore
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Answer : C .
✓ Union Cabinet approves Chandrayaan -4 Mission to collect lunar sample.
✓ Union Cabinet approved the Chandrayaan -4 mission in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi on 18 September 2024.
✓ The Chandrayaan -4 mission will collect lunar samples from the moon's surface and bring them
back to Earth. Only three countries—the United States of America, Russia, and China—have
successfully brought lunar soil back to Earth.
✓ According to the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw, the ultimate
goal is to land an Indian astronaut on the lunar surface by 2040 and successfully return them to Earth
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ISRO to lead the Chandrayaan -4 mission
✓ The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which launched Chandrayaan-1 in 2008,
Chandrayaan-2 in 2019, and Chandrayaan-3 in 2023, will be responsible for the Chandrayaan-4
mission.
✓ ISRO has been allocated a budget of Rs 2104.06 crore for the Chandrayaan -4 mission to be
completed in 36 months.
✓ All the necessary technologies will be developed indigenously with the help of the Indian
industry.
✓ The allocated budget includes the cost of spacecraft development, two launch vehicle
missions of LVM3 rockets, external deep space network support and conducting special tests
for design validation etc,
✓ The success of the Chandrayaan -4 Mission will pave the way for the landing of an Indian
astronaut (Gaganyatri) on the moon's surface
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Human Mission to the Moon
✓ The government of India approved an ambitious space programme during the Amrit Kaal. It envisages a
mission to Venus, a functioning Indian Space Station named Bharatiya Antariksh Station by 2035, and an
Indian landing on the surface of the Moon by 2040.
✓ India’s premier space agency, ISRO, will spearhead all these missions. It will lead in developing the
necessary technologies and infrastructure in association with academia and the private sectors
✓ China and USA Mission to Land Humans on the Moon
✓ China has announced its plan to send Chinese astronauts to the moon by 2030 and ultimately build a
research base station at the moon's south pole.
✓ Recently, China became the first country in the world to successfully bring back the lunar soil sample
from the south pole of the moon through its Chang’e 6 mission.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States of America has
launched the Artemis Mission, under which it plans to land astronauts on the moon's south pole in
September 2026.
✓ It also plans to build a lunar station on the moon’s south pole, and the first flight for this purpose is
expected to take place in 2028.
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When does the ISRO plan to launch an Indian astronaut on
the moon's surface?
A) 2030
B) 2035
C) 2040
D) 2045
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Answer : C .
✓ According to the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini
Vaishnaw, the ultimate goal is to land an Indian astronaut on the lunar surface by
2040 and successfully return them to Earth.
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Which country has launched the Artemis Mission to land
astronauts on the moon's surface and build a station there?
A) India
B) USA
C) China
D) Japan
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Answer : B .
✓ The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the
United States of America has launched the Artemis Mission, under which it
plans to land astronauts on the moon's south pole in September 2026.
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When does China plan to land its astronaut on the surface of
the moon?
A) 2030
B) 2040
C) 2035
D) 2045
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Answer : A . ✓ China has announced its plan to send Chinese astronauts to the
moon by 2030 and ultimately build a research base station at the moon's south
pole. ✓ Recently, China became the first country in the world to successfully bring
back the lunar soil sample from the south pole of the moon through its Chang’e 6
mission
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SPACE MISSION IN NEWS 2024
Australian government entered into an $18 million MoU with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL), the
commercial arm of the ISRO under the space MAITRI mission.
➢ ISRO aims to make space missions debris free by 2030.
➢ The country's first polarimetry mission, XPoSat, was launched by the Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO), Satish Dhawan Space Center, Sriharikota.
➢ India’s first private sector built earth observation satellite TSAT-1A , has been launched by Tata
Advanced System Limited ,a subsidiary company of Tata Son’s
➢ ISRO's commercial arm, 'New Space India Limited' (NSIL), has announced that India will use
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to launch its next-generation heavy communications satellite GSAT-20 (or
GSAT-N2).
➢ ISRO reached its destination on 6 January 2024, India's first Sun mission, Aditya-L1. Aditya-L1 is
set to orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1) in a coronal orbit.
➢ Aditya-L1 is the first space-based observatory-class Indian solar mission to study the Sun from a
distance of 1.5 million km.
➢ Proba-3 Mission of European Space Agency (ESA) to Study Sun will be Launched by ISRO
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What was India's rank in the 17th Global Innovation
Index 2024?
A) 39
B) 44
C) 57
D) 63
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Answer : A .
✓ India's ranking in the 2024 Global Innovation Index (GII) has
improved to 39, up from 40 in the last edition.
✓ India's ranking has improved by 42 in the last nine years, from 81st
in 2015 to 39 in 2024.
✓ Switzerland maintained its position as the top-ranked country,
while Angola, an African country, was at the bottom.
✓ The World Intellectual Property Organisation released the 17th
edition of the Global Innovation Index on 26 September 2024, ranking
the countries on their innovation qualities.
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About the 17th Global Innovation Index
✓ The Global Innovation Index has been published by the World Intellectual Property Organisation
(WIPO) every year since 2007. In the 17th edition, 133 countries and the world’s top 100 science
and technology clusters were ranked based on innovation performance.
✓ The countries are evaluated using around 80 indicators grouped into four parameters: science
and innovation investment, technological progress, technology adoption and the socioeconomic
impact of innovation.
✓ Performance of India in the 2024 Global Innovation Index
✓ India has been ranked 39th in the 2024 Global Innovation Index.
✓ India is the top-ranked country amongst the 38 lower-middle-income group economies.
✓ Amongst the 10 economies of Central and Southern Asia, India has been ranked 1st.
✓ Regarding the Innovations Input criteria, India has improved its ranks to 44th.
✓ Similarly, India ranks 33rd in innovation outputs, which is higher than last year.
✓ Like last year, four Indian clusters have been included in the top 100 Science and Technology
Clusters of the Global Innovation Index
✓ Bengaluru is the highest-ranked Indian cluster at 56th place in the world, followed by Delhi(63),
Chennai (82), and Mumbai (84th place).
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Following is the list of the top 10 ranked countries in the 2024
Global Innovation Index.
1. Switzerland
2. Sweden
3. United States
4. United Kingdom
5. Singapore
6. Finland
7. Netherland
8. Germany
9. Denmark
10. South Korea
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About World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO)
✓ The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) was set up in 1967 as a
United Nations special agency.
✓ WIPO promotes intellectual property worldwide and helps governments,
businesses, and society realise the benefits of intellectual property.
✓ Headquarters of WIPO: Geneva, Switzerland
✓ Director General of WIPO: Daren Tang
✓ Members -193 countries
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Which country was ranked number 1 in the 17th Global Innovation
Index 2024?
A) Norway
B) Sweden
C) Switzerland
D) United States
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Which country was ranked bottom of the 17th Global
Innovation Index 2024?
A) Afghanistan
B) Pakistan
C) Iran
D) Angola
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INDIA'S RANK IN VARIOUS INDEXES 2024
✓ Global Liveability Index 2024
✓ Released By : Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)
TOP :
Vienna, Austria
✓ 2nd : Copenhagen, Denmark
✓ 3rd : Zurich, Switzerland
✓ 4th : Melbourne, Australia
✓ 5th : Calgary, Canada
✓ 6th : Geneva, Switzerland
✓ 7th : Sydney, Australia
✓ 8th : Vancouver, Canada
✓ 9th : Osaka, Japan (Only Asian City)
✓ 10th : Auckland, New Zealand
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Global Energy Transition Index 2024
Released By : World Economic Forum(WEF)
TOP : Sweden
✓ 2nd : Denmark
✓ 3rd : Finland
✓ 4th : Switzerland
✓ 5th : France
✓ INDIA : 63
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Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2024
✓ TOP : Estonia
✓ 2nd : Luxembourg
✓ 3rd : Germany
✓ 4th : Finland
✓ 5th : United Kingdom
✓ INDIA : 176
✓ Global Gender Gap Report 2023
✓ Released By : World Economic Forum (WEF)
✓ TOP : Iceland
✓ 2nd : Finland
✓ 3rd : Norway
✓ 4th : New Zealand
✓ 5th : Sweden
✓ INDIA : 129
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Travel and Tourism Development Index 2024
✓ Released By : World Economic Forum(WEF)
✓ TOP : United States of America
✓ 2nd : Spain
✓ 3rd : Japan
✓ 4th : France
✓ 5th : Australia
✓ INDIA : 39
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World Press Freedom Index 2024
Released By : Reporters without Borders
✓ TOP : Norway
✓ 2nd : Denmark
✓ 3rd : Sweden
✓ 4th : Netherlands
✓ 5th : Finland
✓ INDIA : 159
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Global Intellectual Property Index 2024
✓ Released By : US Chamber of Commerce
✓ TOP : United States
✓ 2nd : United Kingdom
✓ 3rd : France
✓ 4th : Germany
✓ 5th : Sweden
✓ INDIA : 42
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Corruption Perceptions Index 2023
✓ Released By : Transparency International
✓ TOP : Denmark
✓ 2nd : Finland
✓ 3rd : New Zealand
✓ 4th : Norway
✓ INDIA : 39
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Where was the 2nd India Sugar & Bio-Energy
Conference held?
A) New Delhi
B) Mumbai
C) Chennai
D) Hyderabad
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Answer : A .
✓ Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New &
Renewable Energy, inaugurated the 2nd India Sugar & Bio-Energy Conference on 26 September 2024
in New Delhi.
✓ During the inauguration ceremony, Deepak Ballani, the Director-General of the Indian Sugar &
BioEnergy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), launched the ISMA Times magazine. The Magazine will
provide information about the sugar industry and its future direction.
✓ The conference brings together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and stakeholders to
encourage dialogue, innovation, and collaboration for sustainable growth and development of the
sugar and bioenergy industries.
✓ Bioenergy refers to the use of sugarcane to produce energy. Ethanol, derived from molasses, is
blended with petrol to run petrol-driven vehicles. Molasses is a by-product produced during the
production of sugar from sugarcane.
✓ The Indian Sugar & Bio-Energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA), in collaboration with the Indian
Government and the International Sugar Organisation, organised the 2nd India Sugar & Bio-Energy
Conference. The two-day Conference was held in New Delhi on September 26 and 27, 2024. ✓ The 2nd
India Sugar & Bio-Energy Conference theme was ‘Harmonising Sweet Sustainability: Navigating
India’s Path to a Green Economy’.
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What is India’s rank in the world in ethanol production?
A) 1st
B) 2nd
C) 3rd
D) 4th
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Highlight of the Pralhad Joshi Speech
✓ During his inaugural speech, Pralhad Joshi said that India is the world’s thirdlargest producer and consumer of Ethanol.
The United States is the largest producer of ethanol in the world, and Brazil is the
second-largest producer.
In the last 10 years, the area under sugarcane cultivation has increased by about
18%, while sugarcane production has increased by 40% in the country. ✓ After
Brazil, India is the second largest producer of sugarcane in the world.
✓ Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme:
The government of India has launched the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP)
Programme to blend 20 per cent ethanol with petrol. The government aims to
achieve this target by 2025-26 nationwide.
✓ Government commitment: The minister said the Centre Government is
committed to a robust, sustainable sugar industry that is an economic pillar and a
driving force in India's renewable energy landscape.
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Who has been chosen for the 54th Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime
Achievement Award?
A) Asha Parekh
B) Mithun Chakraborty
C) Khusbhu Sundar
D) Nana Patekar
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Answer : B .
✓ 54th Dadashaeb Phalke Award Winner: Mithun Chakraborty
✓ The Union Ministry for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw
announced on 30 September 2024 that the jury had selected veteran Hindi and
Bengali film actor Mithun Chakraborty as the recipient of the prestigious Dadasaheb
Phalke Lifetime Achievement Awards for 2022.
✓ Mithun Chakraborty will be the 54th recipient of the Dada Saheb Phalke Award.
Last year, Waheeda Rehman received the Dadasaheb Phalke Lifetime Achievement
Awards for 2021.
✓ Mithun Chakraborty will be conferred the award at the 70th National Film Festival
award ceremony, which will be held on 8 October 2024.
✓ Asha Parekh, Vipul Shah, and Khusbhu Sundar were members of the Jury that
selected the Dadasaheb Lifetime Achievement Award winner for 2022.
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About Mithun Chakraborty
✓ The three-time National Films Award winner actor Mithun Chakraborty was born as Gourang
Chakraborty on June 16, 1950, in Kolkata, West Bengal.
✓ Alumnus of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, Mithun won the National
Film Award for Best Actor in his first film, Mrigayaa (1976).
✓ He won the National Film Award for his acting in the films Tahader Katha
✓ He was also a successful commercial film star, whose film Disco Dancer(1982) not only popularised
disco dance in the country but also made him a household name in india.
✓ He has acted in Hindi, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Odia, and Telugu films.
✓ He won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the Hindi film Agnipath in
1990.
✓ In January 2024, Chakraborty was awarded Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honour by the
Government of India.
✓ He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
✓ The television show Dance India Dance, where Chakraborty was the Grand Master, also entered in the
Limca Book of Records and the Guinness World Records. (1992) and Swami Vivekananda (1998).
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Who is the first woman to be conferred the Dadasaheb
Phalke Award for Lifetime Achievement?
A) Ruby Myers
B) Devika Rani
C) Kanan Devi
D) Lata Mangeshkar
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Answer : B .
✓ It was first presented in 1969. The first recipient of the award
was actress Devika Rani, “the first lady of Indian cinema
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G20 Summit In Brazil
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•Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend
the G20 Summit in Brazilian city of Rio De
Janeiro. Mr Modi is also expected to hold
separate meetings with world leaders on the
sidelines of the summit.
• Mr Modi, US President Joe Biden and
Chinese President Xi Jinping will be among
the leaders who will attend the G20 summit in
Rio de Janeiro today and tomorrow. Prime
Minister Modi arrived in Brazil this morning
on the second leg of his 3-nation visit.
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•India is part of the G20 Troika along with
Brazil and South Africa and has been
actively contributing to the ongoing G20
Summit discussions.
•During the event, Prime Minister Modi will
present India’s positions on various global
issues and build on the outcomes of the G20
New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, as well as
the Voice of the Global South
Summits hosted by India in recent years.
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•The theme for this year’s G20 Summit is
‘Building a Just World and a Sustainable
Planet’ where Brazil would priorities the issues
of social inclusion, poverty, sustainable
development and reform of global governance
institutions.
•In September last year, India hosted the
successful G20 Summit in New Delhi, where it
scored a major diplomatic victory by convincing
world leaders on a common ground to include
the Russia-Ukraine war in the New Delhi
Declaration.
•As the chair, India also brought the African
Union into the G20 bloc in a major push
towards voicing the priorities of the Global South
on a global stage.
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•The theme for this year’s G20 Summit is
‘Building a Just World and a Sustainable
Planet’ where Brazil would priorities the issues
of social inclusion, poverty, sustainable
development and reform of global governance
institutions.
•In September last year, India hosted the
successful G20 Summit in New Delhi, where it
scored a major diplomatic victory by convincing
world leaders on a common ground to include
the Russia-Ukraine war in the New Delhi
Declaration.
•As the chair, India also brought the African
Union into the G20 bloc in a major push
towards voicing the priorities of the Global South
on a global stage.
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Which state of India has emerged as India’s ‘Petro Capital’?
A) Madhya Pradesh
B) Rajasthan
C) Gujarat
D) Odisha
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Answer : C . ✓ With the world’s largest grassroot oil refinery in Jamnagar and OPaL
petrochemical complex at Dahej in Bharuch district, Gujarat is now recognized as
the ‘petro capital’ of India.
✓ Reliance Industries Ltd’s (RIL) Jamnagar refinery is the largest and most
complex single-site refinery in the world with 1.4 million barrels per day (MMBPD)
crude processing capacity. The Jamnagar refinery complex houses some of the
world’s largest units, such as the fluidized catalytic cracker, coker, alkylation,
paraxylene, polypropylene, refinery off-gas cracker, and petcoke gasification plants.
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Which IIT has collaborated with the Government of Assam’s flagship Arohan
scheme to motivate meritorious students to pursue STEM subjects in their
higher education?
A) IIT Madras
B) IIT Guwahati
C) IIT Kanpur
D) IIT Delhi
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Answer : B .
✓ The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati has collaborated with the Government of
Assam’s flagship Arohan scheme to motivate meritorious students to pursue STEM
subjects in their higher education.
✓ To date, the Institute has successfully hosted 3311 students (2009 girls and 1302 boys)
and few hundred mentee teachers, inspiring them to explore the vast opportunities and
interests in STEM education.
✓ Interestingly, the number of girl students was around 65 percent of the total
participants, highlighting the importance of encouraging and promoting girl/women in
STEM education.
✓ Under the Arohan scheme, IIT Guwahati has hosted meritorious students (Mentees)
along with their Guide teachers/Officers in a total of 12 batches.
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GK & Current Affairs
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GK & Current Affairs
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GK & Current Affairs
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GK & Current Affairs
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GK & Current Affairs
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GK & Current Affairs
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GK & Current Affairs
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GK & Current Affairs
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GK & Current Affairs
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GK & Current Affairs
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